To a generation of sports fans, Victor Cruz, 32, is a former NFL star and ex-New York Giants player. But on June 13, the New Jersey native made showbiz news headlines because he was on the receiving end of a Chris Brown diss. The R&B singer threw shade at Victor for his fashion sense – going as far as commenting on the athlete’s Instagram pic. In the photo, Victor is posing with his girlfriend Karrueche Tran, 31. Yes, that Karrueche – Chris Brown’s ex-girlfriend, Karrueche. In his comments Breezy begged his former boo to “style” her man.
So, for those of you who are not sports fans – and who have never heard of Victor Cruz before – here’s what you need to know.
1. Victor played for the New York Giants from 2011 to 2017. During his time with the Giants, the former wide receiver helped take his team to the Super Bowl in 2012, beating the New England Patriots to scoop the title.
2. Victor joined ESPN as an analyst when he retired in August 2018. “The game of football has just given me so much,” he said in a YouTube video, announcing his decision to leave the sport. “As soon as I got on that practice field, as soon as I put on those pads and that uniform and started playing, it was just a place of kind of zen for me. My journey hasn’t been the easiest. It definitely had its ups and downs and some rough patches. This last chapter of my life was a great one.”
3. He has a daughter with his ex-fiancée, Elaina Watley. The little girl, Kennedy, was born in January 2012.
4. He’s been dating Karrueche since 2017 and he’s not afraid to show his affection for his lady. Victor captioned the photo that Chris Brown commented on, “Been missing my lil ratchet boo @thequeenvirginia. Happy I get to see her tonight at 9pm.. Lol.”
5. He created the Victor Cruz Foundation in 2012. The mission, according to the Foundation’s website, is to impact youth “in an array of fields, but specifically towards the introduction and implantation of S.T.E.M learning through the creation of hands on, reader-friendly and impactful curriculum.”